Content based services are becoming more and more popular among telecom operators and telephone users. These days many telecom operators provide multiple content based services. In these content based services, telecom operators provide usually information, such as match score, weather updates, horoscope, and other similar information, to the customers through text messages, voice messages, multimedia messages, and the like. However, it should be noted that in providing such content based services, a typical service charge is deducted from the account of the telephone users on requesting for such content.
Further, along with the increase in popularity of content based services, there has been a corresponding increase in user interactivity over telephony networks. Nowadays, plurality of Television shows tie up with telecom operators in providing users with interactive content over the telephony network. Not only do these companies provide users interactive content, they also encourage users to participate in various kinds of quizzes, games, voting, and other similar campaigns through their telephonic devices. However, again it should be noted that a typical service charge is deducted from the account of the user on requesting such interactive services.
In addition to the increase in popularity of content based services and user interactivity, there has also been an increase in providing various other value added services over telephony networks. Since telephones, and particularly wireless devices, such as mobile phones, have far reaching penetration in many countries, including countries, such as India and China, using telephony networks to provide almost all kind of services to customers is considered to be the next revolution in telephony communication. Presently, many companies are offering such value add services to customers, however, again a typical service charge is deducted from the account of customers to avail such services.
Therefore, there is an imperative need to develop a system and method for providing services in a communication network, wherein the users avail the aforementioned services almost free of cost.
WIPO publication number 2008128053 ('053 publication) discloses a system and method for utilizing information exchanged during an initiation phase (i.e., the ‘ringing’ phase) of a conventional telephone connection request received from a calling device, in order to identify and provide a user with content or enhanced services. The '053 publication therefore endeavors to provide TOLL FREE services to the users.
Moreover, some companies have started offering such value added services through telephony networks using caller ID capture. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that ‘miss calls’ provide an effective means of communications in many countries, including India. The term ‘miss calls’ as defined herein refers to call in a communication network, which have failed to complete, probably because of an intentional disconnection by the dialer. Since the miss calls do not incur any charges on the dialers, the users may be able to avail such services based on miss calls free of cost. However, there is a limitation in such services.
Though these solutions provide TOLL FREE services to the users, they do not take care of the financial interest of the telecom operators, who are important stake holders in such communication network. More often than not, such telecom operators do not gain any monetary incentive in such value added services. Therefore, there interest in hosting such services on their network is very limited.
Therefore, there is a need to develop a system and method for providing services in a communication network that incurs minimum or almost zero financial tolls on the customers. Further, there is a need to develop a system and method for providing services in a communication network, which provide considerable revenues to the service operators, and thereby takes their concerns into consideration. There is further need to develop a system and method that is adapted to provide modern day interactive services, content and value added services to the customers. There is also a need to develop a system and method for providing various services in a communication network that is secure and reliable.